CHICAGO - Miami backup guard Norris Cole remained perfect from 3-point range and teammate LeBron James scored 25 points as the Heat pulled away late for a 104-94 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday at the United Center.

Miami took a 2-1 lead in this second-round series, with Game 4 set for Monday in Chicago.

Chris Bosh had his best game of the series for the Heat, producing 20 points and 19 rebounds. Cole finished with 18 points and improved to 8-for-8 from 3-point range in the series.

Miami took the lead for good with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, but put things away when James and Cole knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers. The second basket lifted the Heat to a 96-88 lead with 1:58 remaining.

Chicago pulled within six points on a pair of Jimmy Butler free throws, then James drove the lane, hit a bank shot and completed a three-point play to make it 99-90 with 1:23 remaining.

Miami went ahead 83-78 with 6:24 left - its largest lead of the game to that point - when Dwyane Wade found an open lane for a drive and dunk.

The teams exchanged a few baskets, then, with the Bulls trying to cut into a five-point deficit, Noah won a battle for an offensive rebound against Bosh. But Noah was called for a foul and the Heat pushed the lead to 90-83 with 3:15 remaining on a couple of Bosh free throws.

Missed free throws were costly to the Bulls. They went 17-for-25 at the foul line, compared to 26-for-30 by Miami.

The third quarter was tight throughout. The home fans got a kick out of James getting a fast-break reverse attempt blocked by the 5-foot-9 Robinson. The teams headed into the fourth quarter knotted at 70-70.

After these teams combined to pile up nine technical fouls, two ejections and one flagrant foul, no-nonsense referee Joe Crawford showed up to work Game 3.

He didn’t have much of a calming influence. The first scrum of the night broke out with 23.5 seconds left in the first quarter. Noah got a technical foul for shoving Miami’s Chris Andersen after Andersen fell on top of Robinson.

Early in the second quarter, Chicago backup center Nazr Mohammed was ejected for a two-handed shove that knocked James to the floor. James was in the process of getting a technical foul for elbowing Mohammed when the two collided near midcourt.

The Heat shot 51.4 percent in the first half to build a 52-50 lead at intermission. The largest lead before halftime was seven points by the Bulls.

NOTES: Despite many rumors to the contrary, injured Bulls star Derrick Rose did not suit up for Game 3. After missing the entire season recovering from knee surgery, Rose is unlikely to play in this series, but hasn’t ruled it out. … Chicago forward Luol Deng missed his fifth straight game after having a bad reaction to a spinal tap administered last week. Guard Kirk Hinrich missed his sixth game with a calf injury. There is no word on when either player might return to game action. … Bulls forward Taj Gibson was fined $25,000 for verbal abuse of an official as he was being ejected from Wednesday’s Game 2. Gibson received two quick technical fouls early in the fourth quarter. … A common foul by Miami guard Mario Chalmers in Game 2 was reportedly upgraded to a grade one flagrant by the league office. Chalmers struck Noah in the neck area after the two collided on a screen set by Noah. … Miami’s 37-point win in Game 2 was the third-largest margin of victory in playoff history by a team trailing in the series, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The all-time leader was a 133-75 romp by Minneapolis over St. Louis in 1956.